The invention relates generally to the field of electrical switches and more particularly to a novel slide-type electrical switch including an indicator light adapted to be energized when the switch is in at least one position so as to indicate the condition of the switch.
Many electrical switches include visual indicators to indicate the condition or position of the switch. Some such indicators include light elements mounted to the switch in some fashion and these elements may comprise relatively small lamps or light emitting diodes (LEDs).
In slide switches, one or more selected terminals may be engaged with selected other terminals by action by a sliding contactor or "slide" element which slides in a linear direction over the terminals in response to linear sliding movement of an actuator member. The terminals are arrayed in parallel rows to be simultaneously contacted by a plurality of such slides in response to movement of the actuator member, such as a button or knob. While some arrangements have been proposed heretofore for providing a lamp or LED as an indicator for such a switch, these arrangements have been relatively complicated and expensive, requiring extensive modification of existing slide switches and specialized parts, tooling and the like in their manufacture.